1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved tripod.
More specifically, the invention concerns a tripod, particularly studied for supporting television cameras and cameras, provided with a mechanism permitting a very easy and safe opening by a single movement.
2. Brief Description of the Art
Many different kinds of tripods have been realised during the last decades, to be used for supporting television cameras and cameras.
Among the known solutions, it is possible mentioning those realised by firms Sachtler, O'Connor, Baker, Sherwin and Manfrotto.
For example, a telescopic tripod is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,835 assigned to Sachtler, said tripod providing a blocking lever that, by a lateral rotation action, permits obtaining releasing and blocking of mechanisms of the different stages of tripod.
Lateral movement of the blocking lever is not safe since it can be easily unintentionally actuated, for example by the interference of an electric cable. It further requires the use of rather complex mechanism for moving the different stages, requiring a difficult adjustment of the different sliding blocking elements.
Another example of known solution is that described in Sherwin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,482. the solution described provides a quick opening tripod with a plurality of blocking devices for each leg and for each stage. Said invention provides that blocking and releasing element for the different telescopic portions of each leg is comprised of a foldable retaining element connected with each leg. This element acts freeing telescopic sections when is displaced with respect to the leg and stops it when it reaches the horizontal position. Operation of these devices is simple, but it is bound to the perfect symmetry of the tripod opening; otherwise, the opening of only one leg is obtained, or stops of opening of the single legs with different heights.
In this context, it is included the solution suggested according to the present invention, permitting realising a tripod suitable to support television cameras and cameras, including at least three telescopic sections for each one of the three legs, said sections being actuated by a single fixing lever for each leg.